Half a million fewer NHS operations and appointments cancelled since Labour came to power, Health Sec says
HALF a million fewer NHS operations and appointments have been cancelled since the General Election, compared with 12 months earlier, the Health Secretary declared yesterday.
Wes Streeting credited the end of doctors strikes with allowing the NHS to get back on track.
Department for Health figures reveal 507,000 slots were scrapped and rescheduled between July 2023 and February 2024 due to industrial action.
The walkouts worsened backlogs, adding 140,000 patients to waiting lists.
Mr Streeting said: “Cancelled operations weren’t just an inconvenience.
“They left hundreds of thousands in pain, distress, and frustration.
“That’s why I sat down with junior doctors and brought these damaging strikes to an end.”
Since July, more than two million additional appointments have been carried out, cutting waiting lists by 193,000.
Launching Labour’s local election campaign in the East Midlands today, Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to ensure 92 per cent of patients are seen within 18 weeks by 2029.
Labour Chair Ellie Reeves said: “Whether it’s putting more money in people’s pockets through our minimum wage boost, fixing our NHS, or investing in roads to tackle the Tory pothole plague, Labour is delivering the change working people voted for.”
WES STREETING
BEFORE the election, I told Sun readers what they would get with Labour.
I promised to get urgent talks up and running with resident doctors.
Less than a month later, we had a deal to end NHS strikes.
A promise made and a promise kept.
There have been 500,000 fewer cancelled appointments since July.
That is the difference Labour has made.
It wasn’t easy.
The Chancellor has had to take tough decisions to invest in rebuilding the NHS.
The Tories, Lib Dems and Reform would cut that investment, Labour is cutting waiting lists.